Nobody above law: NCP, Shiv Sena on CBI action against Anil Deshmukh

With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducting searches at the premises of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday said nobody was above the law, but added that the truth behind the "political conspiracy" against him and the state government would come out through the high court-ordered probe.

Talking to reporters, NCP spokesperson and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said, "Nobody is above the law. Anil Deshmukh is cooperating with the agencies."

He said he was not aware if any First information report (FIR) has been registered against Deshmukh.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is yet to reveal for whom suspended police officer Sachin Waze was working when he planted explosives outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence, Malik said.

"What was the role of former Mumbai police commissioner (Param Bir Singh) in the case. All these actions are taking place based on the ex-commissioner's letter," he alleged.

"This is nothing but misuse of power to malign the state government and Anil Deshmukh. We have full faith in the judiciary and know that the truth behind the political conspiracy will be exposed through the probe," he said.

The CBI on Saturday conducted searches at Deshmukh's premises in Mumbai and his hometown Nagpur after registering a case against him in connection with allegations of corruption levelled against him by Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh, an NCP leader, had resigned as a minister earlier this month after the high court asked the CBI to probe the allegations against him.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also said that nobody was above the law.

"It is not correct to comment on CBI's action. Anil Deshmukh had already given his statement in the case. CBI is doing its work, similarly high court and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government are doing their own work," he said.

"If there is a political agenda in the case against Anil Deshmukh, then the MVA government will take a stand. Hope the action against Deshmukh is restricted to directives of the high court," he said.

On March 25, Param Bir Singh had filed a criminal public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh, who, he claimed, had asked police officers,

including suspended cop Sachin Waze, to extort Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress share power in Maharashtra.

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